Veri's Tale
by LadyReaderofBooks
Summary: Veri is Lord Wyldons daughter. She isn't what she seems on the outside. Although her father hates magic, she longs for it. When a strange visitor comes to her convent she will do anything to find out who he is. Rated cautiously for possible future content
1. a visit to the healers

Disclaimer: I am not Tamora Pierce. if I was this would be a book.

Veri sighed, she had been doing embroidery for hours, and, although she enjoyed it she was getting bored after hours of flower patterns. She was tired of this. She was a mischievous girl and never was caught. She needed a way to get out of this lesson.

Veri quickly stabbed herself with a needle. "Ouch!" she screamed. "I stabbed myself." tears welled in her eyes "I need to get bandaged." "There, there" said her instructor "can you get to the healers by yourself Veronica. It's ok if you can't, you're only eight years old" "Yes" the girl sniffed. "Okay" said the instructor "run along now".

Veri ran grinning while tears ran down her cheeks. The tears had been real. That had hurt! She was happy with her success though. She always pretended to be tired after a healing so she could go to her secret spot by the river, and read as much as she wanted.

She got to the healers. The walls were gray stone, like the ones in the halls. The lights shone brightly with mage-fire. The healers were used to her and her many small injuries she had gotten to get out of lessons. Her father never knew. He was the famous conservative Lord Wyldon. He loved her on the outside but if saw her thoughts and longings, he'd be horrified.

She composed her face just as the healers saw her. Her favorite one, Sebastian came and looked at her injury. He healed it in a few seconds. "Now, what have you been up to little one?" he asked. "Stuff" she replied carelessly. "See you, bye" she called. Normally she ran to her room to get a book so she read by the creek. Today however she had to think. Keladry of Mindelans probation was almost up, and the outcome didn't look good for Kel.


	2. Deciding

Kairi's-twin – girls go to the convent at around 9 but can go as early as 7 and as late as 11. Alanna was sent late as her father didn't wish to argue with her, or take unnecessary effort. Lord Wyldon wishes his daughter to get a head start but doesn't want to send her too early because he doesn't want to put his daughter in with girls 2 years older than her.

Disclaimer- see last chapter

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Veri sat by the creek. She looked at the water and sighed. The gleaming water reminded her of the gift she had, and her fathers refusal to let her use it. He thought of it as cheating and disrespecting the gods. After Thom of Trebond's mistakes he believed magic dangerous, and to easy to bring a person into folly.

Veri decided that there was no use in worrying about magic; she had to think about Keladry of Mindelans probation. Her father had warmed to Kel a little but he still showed no sign of changing his mind about not letting her go on in pagehood. Veri had decided to do something about this. Although only 8 (and just 8 at that) she had picked up much wisdom as she hid her use of the gift from everyone but Sebastian.

She wasn't sure if it was better to tell her father head on to let Keladry through or be more… _subtle_ about it.

Veri looked at the sun. For days she had watched the sun until she could use it to tell when she should go back for her next lesson. Time for etiquette. The _worst_ class ever! Since she had gotten out of embroidery and needlepoint she _had _to go to etiquette.

As she walked back down the carefully concealed path she decided. When her father came next week she would tell him what she thought about Keladry.


	3. Arrival

Thank you to my single reviewer. How ever I will not write the next chapter until I get another reviewer. Only one review…. _Please!!!!!!!!!!!!_ I'll give you a cookie! (Unless you know me, I can't give you a _real_ cookie!!)

Confrontation

The week Veri spent waiting for her father to come was nerve-racking. Technically he might not be home for a week and three days, but - all the same - she was ready for him three days before he could even possibly show up.

She hadn't skipped a class since her day on the river. She had done everything to perfection, even the dreaded etiquette. Her teachers were remarking on her work. The cook was disappointed though, Veri was one of her best kitchen helpers, but the cook understood why Veri couldn't come and help in the kitchen. It simply wasn't right for a noble girl!!

Veri had written and re-written possible schemes and every time found a small glitch and wrote a completely different plan until she had dozens. Her plans always included strait up confrontation and she was starting to think she would have to trick her father to get him to let Keladry stay.

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Now Veri was in a very boring class one day before he should show up. She had practiced the King's curtsy (the curtsy you use with the King when you come to court) for so long she couldn't _think_ anymore. If she wanted to she could probably learn all the curtsies satisfactorily in one class, but the teacher insisted that she practice the King's curtsy one more time. _One more time!_ 'She makes it sound like I haven't been practicing the darned thing for the last hour!' Veri thought indignantly. (A/N: Yes, that is darned not _damned_. I don't think a noble girl would curse even if it was only in her mind.)

The shrill voice of her etiquette teacher brought her back to work. "Veronica! If I were the king you would be being dragged up the grand stairs and be in the dungeons right now! Keep you knees bent and don't let you head drift up! Veronica I don't want to have to say it again, Keep the neck up and the head bowed!" Veri inwardly growled, by the end of the day she would have hunt down the person who the person made up curtsies was and be designing an elaborate torture system so that once she reached the Black God's realm she could torture the person within an inch of their life!! 'Ironic' she thought 'should I torture him within an inch of his death instead?' Again Veri was snapped out of her thoughts by the etiquette teacher "Now, practice the Lord's Curtsy! This will be very important when you go to court to find yourself a husband…" Ignoring her teacher's prattle, Veri one again sunk into her own inner fantasy.

A restless night was spent. She tossed and turned, aching from the curtseys and scared about her father. All the sudden she started to cry, but the crying helped. She came up with a brilliant plan during those tears. The plan that she didn't give up.

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Veri locked her hands in a very proper position as her father came in the gate. He was mounted on a great big warhorse that she knew had been for show as she was sure that on the way there he'd been on a riding horse. She, with her long brown hair, big green eyes, and full lips looked very odd next to this great man.

She watched him get off his horse and then did her Lords Curtsy. When she came out of it she ran to hug him. He enfolded her in his arms and said "Veronica! It's good to be back with my favorite daughter. I would ruffle your hair but it would mess up your wonderful curls!" He let her down and saw she had a serious expression. "Father" she said "when you are done cleaning up we need to talk." "Okay" he said "just let me rest and we can talk at dinner, just you and me." "Thank you father" she said and ran to find a more suitable dress.

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Wyldon's POV

Wyldon sighed. The road had been long and he was tired. His room, painted with battle scenes just seemed odd after he had gotten used to his quarters at the palace. He decided to go and see his dogs. Maybe they would help him feel surer about this talk.

Veri's POV

She had chosen the perfect dress; everything was set for the dinner. All she had to do was carry out the plan right. Her dress was dark green to match her eyes with a normal neckline; it was embroidered in gold at the edges and long sleeved.

She walked down the gray stone halls. Watching the tapestries, she showed no sign of emotion. She had learned this trick from a Yamani friend in the village. She reached the door to her father's chambers and knocked. She reviewed her plans and straitened her dress. Now came the moment when all would come together, or, on a slightly darker note, all might topple over leaving only ashes to prove that it had even happened.

Her father answered. He was in the attire he might wear for a small private dinner with a friend. Nothing too fancy and he didn't wear his uniform. They ate in a small sitting room, designed for the use of someone who was not often present at the castle. (A/N: notice the difference between the _palace_ which is where the king and queen live, and the _castle_ which is any fief's main building) Veri decided that it was better to eat before giving her news, in hope that food would leave no room for butterflies.

They talked of one thing or another but Wyldon noticed his daughter's tension and realized she wasn't just there to socialize. When they were done eating and Wyldon was starting to wonder what was going on Veri was gathering up confidence. 'Here we go' she thought and than said clearly "Father, I want Keladry to become a real page."

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Ha, Ha!! I left you with a cliffie! I was going to put their talk up in this chapter too but I wanted to finish it today and still have time to start typing a Terry Pratchett fanfic I have on my mind, however this is my first priority. Really. Why then, you say, have I waited so long to update? Because, I answer, I was too busy reading other peoples fanfics to update mine. I can't promise that the next chapter will be up sooner but I have their whole talk planned in my head so it shouldn't take very long to type that. Thanks for reading!! Remember, I want any reviews; flames will be used to cook pizza. Constructive criticism needed. For now I think I am fine but consider becoming a beta-reader in the future please! So long for now!!


	4. author note

I just don't have the time to continue this

I just don't have the time to continue this. If you want you can take the fic and use it. Make it better. Also if you want I will finish and post the next chapter.


	5. Surrender, Sort Of

..._Father, I want Keladry to be a real page._

For a moment Wyldon sat, stunned. His daughter had never shown any signs of approving of lady pages. He began to wonder if she had been hiding any other opinions from him, and, if this was so, what were they?

Taking his silence for disapproval, Veri activated the second part of her plan. "Besides, if she does stay she won't get through-and then that will _prove_ girls can't be pages. If you make her quit some people might still say that she still could have succeeded! Plus, it will be hard on Lady Alanna if Keladry fails even after being let through and..."

"Veronica" Wyldon interrupted "I don't need false persuading! I was arguing with myself about whether or not I should let her through. I've seen what she is capable of and I think she will become a wonderful knight. I just didn't want to upset my fellow conservatives with this."

"Oh" said Veri quietly. She had thought she would need all her skills and instead she had won without even trying. It was like getting ready for a battle with armor and a sword and then finding out that the other side had surrendered before you even got there. She sat quietly for awhile, thinking. Finally she said "Thank you." She got up to leave.

Catching her arm Wyldon stopped her. "Do_ you_ want to be a knight?"

"No thank you." she replied quietly. "I love the idea of Lady Knights but I don't like exercise enough. And I couldn't deal with all that killing on my conscience." Realizing what she had just said Veri quickly added "No offence."

Wyldon smiled. Even after that shocking conversation he still loved being with his youngest daughter. She still had a spark in her. His two elder daughters were both already trained as ladies and married off (Joanne to a young lord from the coast and Michelle to a count near Corus.) They weren't any fun anymore. They didn't run to hug him when they saw him, for fear of mussing their hair and clothes. They wouldn't even let him use their pet names (Jo-Jo and Shelly) anymore. He hoped she would never lose that spark.

Veri left, leaving Wyldon to his thoughts.


End file.
